Increased security at Jacksonville airport as travel ramps up for Thanksgiving holiday

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — About 51 million people are expected to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday. Eighty-nine percent of them are expected to drive.

AAA experts say more than 45 million Americans are driving to their Thanksgiving destination despite high gas prices, up 3 percent from last year. Air travel is up 5 percent.

Flying is a process, from going through security, to picking up luggage.

On Wednesday, armed security officers patrolled the Jacksonville International Airport, from the security checkpoint to baggage claim. It’s a sight that didn’t go unnoticed by travelers like Salina Jones.

“Yeah I did, I saw a few of them sitting, over there and just walking around,” Jones said.

It’s all a part of increase in airport security across the nation. In Florida, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is reminding travelers about the See Something, Say Something Campaign, asking people to be aware of their surroundings and to speak up if they see something suspicious. It’s advice David Norton said he’s following.

“It’s always a good idea,” Norton said.

According to AAA, more than 28 million people are expected to fly through airports over the next 12 days.

Two-point-six million Floridians are expected to travel this Thanksgiving holiday. Nine thousand passengers are projected to fly out of JIA, so why wait until the busiest travel day to head to the airport?

“Last-minute thing. My dad lives in Jacksonville, his sister is in Connecticut and he said, 'Why not come down here?' So we said 'OK,'” Norton said.

“I don’t know. I decided that too, but I don’t know,” Jones said.

“Because of work. People probably got to work up to today and then travel after work,” Bill Huebener said.

Cox Media Group